ISO TS 16951-2021 PDF

Full title and description

ISO/TS 16951:2021 — Road vehicles — Ergonomic aspects of transport information and control systems (TICS) — Procedures for determining priority of on‑board messages presented to drivers. This technical specification defines formal procedures and two alternative methods for establishing the priority order of messages delivered to drivers by in‑vehicle TICS and related systems.

Abstract

This technical specification provides step‑by‑step procedures for selecting candidate messages, recruiting and instructing evaluators, scoring messages against ergonomic criteria (notably criticality and urgency), and computing message priority using either a priority‑index calculation or a paired‑comparison matrix. It includes guidance on weighting factors, statistical checks (means, standard deviations), reporting results and annexes with sample forms, evaluator profiles and scenario examples.

General information

• Status: Published.
• Publication date: March 2021 (Edition 2, 2021‑03).
• Publisher: International Organization for Standardization (ISO).
• ICS / categories: 13.180; 35.240.60; 43.040.15 (ergonomics, transport information systems, vehicle electronics/information).
• Edition / version: Edition 2 (2021).
• Number of pages: 31 pages.

Scope

Applies to the full range of on‑board messages presented to drivers by TICS and other vehicle systems (traveller information, navigation, traffic advisories, warnings, system status, emergency calling, tolling, telephone interfaces, etc.). The specification establishes methods to determine message priority for message management and HMI behaviour but does not mandate how the prioritized messages must be presented or used, nor does it apply to legally required mandatory messages.

Key topics and requirements

• Two alternative prioritization methods: a numerical priority‑index approach (using evaluator ratings, weighting factors and statistical analysis) and a paired‑comparison priority matrix (Annex A).
• Data collection and study setup: appoint examiner(s), assemble candidate message set, define driving contexts and scenarios, and select evaluator profiles and numbers.
• Evaluation criteria: assess messages for criticality (severity if ignored) and urgency (time available for driver action); apply weighting coefficients (k_c, k_u) when computing priorities.
• Statistical procedures: compute means and standard deviations across evaluators, verify data quality, handle outliers and determine priority order with documented calculations.
• Documentation and application: reporting templates, handling new or additional messages, and guidance for integrating priority outputs into message management/HMI strategies (sample report in annex).
• Supportive annexes: evaluator profiles and recommended numbers, driving scenarios, rationale for criteria, system reaction matrix and acceptable standard deviation guidance.

Typical use and users

Used by vehicle manufacturers (OEMs), TICS and HMI suppliers, ergonomists and UX engineers, safety engineers, test laboratories and research groups to prioritize in‑vehicle messages, design alert/notification strategies, reduce driver distraction and ensure critical messages reach the driver in time. Typical applications include message management system design, HMI alert timing and modality decisions, and formal prioritization studies.

Related standards

Closely related to other ergonomic and TICS standards such as ISO 15005 (Dialogue management for in‑vehicle systems) and ITS/TICS reference architectures (for example ISO 14813 series) which address complementary aspects of dialogue management, service descriptions and HMI design. These documents are developed under related ISO technical committees (ISO/TC 22/SC 39 and ISO/TC 204).

Keywords

TICS; in‑vehicle messages; message prioritization; priority index; paired‑comparison; ergonomics; human‑machine interface (HMI); driver distraction; alert management; criticality; urgency.

FAQ

Q: What is this standard?

A: A technical specification from ISO that defines formal procedures to determine the priority of on‑board messages presented to drivers by transport information and control systems (TICS).

Q: What does it cover?

A: It prescribes two alternative methods and the study procedures (message selection, evaluator selection, scoring, weighting and statistical analysis) needed to rank messages by priority, and provides annexes with templates, scenarios and evaluator guidance. It does not prescribe presentation formats or override mandatory/legal messages.

Q: Who typically uses it?

A: OEMs, TICS/HMI suppliers, ergonomists, UX designers, vehicle safety engineers and test laboratories conducting message prioritization or designing alerting strategies.

Q: Is it current or superseded?

A: The 2021 document is Edition 2 (published March 2021). It replaces the earlier ISO/TS 16951:2004 deliverable and is listed in the ISO catalogue as the current published technical specification (2021). Users should check national and ISO catalogues for any subsequent review or confirmation.

Q: Is it part of a series?

A: It sits within the ISO family of ergonomics and TICS deliverables developed by ISO/TC 22/SC 39; it complements standards addressing dialogue management and ITS/TICS architectures (for example ISO 15005 and parts of the ISO 14813 series).

Q: What are the key keywords?

A: TICS, in‑vehicle message prioritization, priority index, paired‑comparison, HMI, ergonomics, criticality, urgency, message management, driver distraction.